Augmented reality (AR) focuses on combining real world and computer-generated data, including computer graphics objects blended into real video and images in real time for display to an end-user. The spread of personal electronic devices such as smartphones and accessibility to data networks and services via the Internet and other networks have enabled access and use of an increasing number of AR applications.
As AR applications and services become increasingly popular, the number of augmentations available in any given context will skyrocket. These augmentations may be visual, auditory, and haptic, and some augmentations may span different modalities. Whether the augmentations are for a particular place and time, a particular object or collection of objects, or for a person or collection of people, the number of augmentations can overwhelm a user's ability to process them.
The user can be overwhelmed when a large number of augmentations are displayed on an augmented reality device, impeding the user's ability to meaningfully and easily review desired augmentations. For example, a user walking through Times Square in New York can be bombarded by several million augmentations from businesses, government organizations, social groups, and end-users (e.g. virtual billboards, restaurant reviews, business placards, artwork, travel directions, messages, graffiti, etc.). Similarly, a user walking through a city park can see tens of thousands of augmented reality avatars jostling for space on the grass. In another example, a user leafing through a copy of Moby Dick may be unable to read a page scribbled over with annotations from thousands of others who have read the book.